Hear the Word of the Lord
7.19.2018
Hear the Word of the Lord
“Again He said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, “O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!”‘ … So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. … So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.” – Ezekiel 37:4, 7-8, 10
God’s resurrection power has been active since long before Christ rose from the grave. Ezekiel’s odd but famous story is one of countless examples. Sin brings death but the Spirit of God brings life.
No one portrays God’s restoration of His people quite like Ezekiel. All through history, even to our day, the people of God have cycled into sin and judgment, but God has brought them back to life. From the beginning, humans have chosen death, but God has given life. What He did with fallen Israel after it pined away in exile He has done again and again. And He’s doing it in our day.
Human potential is the “false god” worshiped in our day. Confidence in the flesh is bringing death all around us, as our culture puts Christ on trial once again and finds Him wanting. But trust in Christ gives life when His people humble themselves before Him and acknowledge that He is LORD. Together, let’s call on God in the name of His Son to deliver His Church from darkness and restore us to life and health and power to live for His glory.
But God accomplishes mass transformation on an individual basis, and he’s filling heaven one soul at a time. Pray also that God will lead you to those around you who need new life. Pray for specific people you know to hear the Word of the LORD through you, so His Spirit can enter them and give them new life.
Believe that He can and that He will—through You. To the praise of His glory.
“Hear the Word of the LORD” (37:4). God’s Word has power to raise the dead.
• Ask God to reveal Himself at Northpoint through the proclamation of His Word.
• Pray for faith that God will use us to save souls and bring them new life.
“I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live” (37:5). God’s Spirit gives life.
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to give life to and through our ministry as a local body.
• Confess our sin of self-sufficiency, and ask for new and dependent life to grow in its place.
“And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live” (37:6a), God restores complete health and function to His people (Ephesians 4:15-16).
• Ask God to rebuild Northpoint according to His plan, to reveal His will for our body, and give us eyes to see and hearts to follow His will for us as His people.
“and you shall know that I am the LORD” (37:6b). God reveals Himself through His Word and in His work within His people.
• Pray that God will reveal Himself to the world through Northpoint so that all will know that Jesus Christ is LORD.
• Ask Him to put specific people on your heart for you to reach out to.
Pray in faith, believing that Jesus Christ is LORD and that He Himself is at work in Northpoint, to exalt His name, by saving the lost and sanctifying believers through the power of His mighty Word.
In Him,
Dave Dussault
Northpoint Prayer Ministry
– Each week, Dave updates a monthly Bible reading plan and writes a Bible and prayer focus, “Prayer Life.” The preceding is a recent installment. You can pick up both offerings at the Information Center in the Foyer on Sundays, or sign up there to receive them via email. You can also click here to find the archive.
The rest of NP News for 7.19.2018 can be found on the “This Week” page at https://www.northpointcorona.org/this-week/